The present invention relates generally to a molded tip on tubing and a method of making the same, and more particularly to a molded tip made of polyether block amide such as PEBAX or a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer such as PELLETHANE on tubing made of a polyetheretherketone such as PEEK for use in a stent delivery device, guide catheter, or angiographic catheter.
A stent delivery device, guide catheter, or angiographic catheter is used in various medical procedures to deliver a prosthesis or treatment to a body vessel. Such devices require superior mechanical characteristics because they are often pushed a significant distance from the body access site to the treatment site.
Angiographic catheters are disclosed for instance in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,385,635 and 5,088,991. A fiber tip atherectomy catheter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,659. Catheters with a soft tip are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,531,943 and 5,425,712. Methods of making a catheter with a soft tip are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,551,292 and 5,240,537. A catheter with an expandable wire mesh tip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,684. Various stent delivery devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,026,377; 5,484,444; 5,591,172; 5,628,755; and 5,662,703. Such catheters and devices are used within body vessels of humans for treatment of a variety of conditions.
All references cited herein, including the foregoing, are incorporated herein in their entireties for all purposes.